Local job growth among state's best
Nov 18, 2007

Three-county area's October jobless rate drops .6 percent By MIKE ELSWICK Saturday, November 17, 2007

A three-county area surrounding Longview had the state's second-fastest rate of job growth between September and October among 26 metropolitan areas.

Roni Downey, labor market analyst with the Texas Workforce Commission, said the Longview Metropolitan Area had an October unemployment rate of 3.6 percent. That was down from 4.2 percent in September and represented the addition of about 800 jobs to the local labor force, she said.

"You had a monthly growth rate of 0.9 percent, which was the second best in the state only behind Bryan-College Station, which had a 1.7 percent growth rate last month," Downey said. The increase in job creation represents the continuation of a four-year trend, she said.

"The last time the Longview MSA saw a negative growth rate was in April 2003," Downey said. "From that point forward you've experienced a good, solid and continual positive growth rate."

The Longview market area consists of Gregg, Upshur and Rusk counties. Downey said compared to October 2006, there are an additional 1,100 jobs in the market area.

The area's unemployment rate also improved considerably from October 2006 when it was 4.1 percent, she said.

John Stroud, executive director of Longview Economic Development Corp., said he sees no reason local job creation should not continue its strong pace.

"The demand for products being made in the Longview area by our manufacturers remains strong, and the oil and gas industries are doing well," Stroud said.

Based on previously announced hiring plans by new and expanding local firms, the region should add at least several hundred more jobs in the first half of 2008, he said.

"With our new Convergys facility expected to have about 500 on their local payroll by early next year and Sysco due to start hiring about 350 people next spring, things continue to look good," Stroud said.

Convergys is an inbound call center which opened earlier this fall, while Sysco Foods is constructing a new 350,000-square-foot distribution facility slated to be in operation by mid-2008, he said.

The Texas Workforce Commission also reported the statewide unemployment rate dipped to 4.1 percent in October, tying a 31-year low, as employers hired new workers in business services, leisure, education and health care.

The jobless rate had been 4.3 percent in September. October marked the third month this year in which the statewide figure dropped to 4.1 percent.

Seasonally adjusted nonfarm employment rose by 24,200 from September. The statewide numbers were adjusted for seasonal trends in hiring and firing, which most economists believe gives a better picture of the job market.

However, initial claims for unemployment benefits jumped 19 percent from September, to 58,573 in October.

The nationwide unemployment rate for October was 4.7 percent, unchanged from September.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Jobless rates at a glance

— Area, October, September, Oct. 2006

— Longview MSA, 3.6%, 4.2%, 4.1%

— Tyler MSA, 3.8%, 4.2%, 4.3%

— Texarkana, 4.4%, 4.8%, 4.9%

— Gregg County, 3.5%, 4.0%, 4.0%

— Texas, 3.9%, 4.4%, 4.4%

— United States, 4.4%, 4.5%, 4.1%

Source: Texas Workforce Commission; Longview MSA includes Gregg, Rusk and Upshur counties; the Tyler MSA includes Smith County.


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